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I bristle when I hear of a software engineering organization pressuring their top engineers to become managers. Managing and engineering are completely different skill sets – different enough that those who excel at one tend to struggle at the other. But what if you’re an individual contributor, and you see that there may be a…
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They finally recognized your potential at work, and you have the chance to do something new. Something you haven’t done before. Something that comes with a real risk of failure. This is one of those growth opportunities that can make or break your career. Or your family. But here are two practices that will come…
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Someone told me recently, “I don’t want to go into management, because I’m not good at dealing with people problems.” Becoming a manager is a complete career change, so I’m not about to pressure anyone into management. But I do encourage people to explore that self-limiting identity that says, “I’m not good at dealing with…
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Twice in my career, I surprised my senior leaders by declining very direct offers for promotions. Did I want more respect? more status? more income? Sure, I did! But I wanted something else even more. And maybe you do, too. In one case, accepting the promotion would have meant moving to a different state. And…
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“Hey, let’s take this conversation offline,” you say. Sometimes, that means, “This sounds like an interpersonal problem that you two (or we two) need to resolve separately.” Sometimes it means, “That challenge only affects your teams, so solve it yourself without taking up time for the rest of us.” And sometimes it means, “This conversation…
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An I.T. Director shared with me recently that they’ve been halted in meetings with senior leaders because they’re explaining too many details that don’t matter to the person they’re talking to. And even if you’re not being actively silenced, you may be hurting your influence when your listeners find your talking points irrelevant to them.…
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Years ago, I sat terrified next to my wife, facing my pastor sitting at his desk. The day before, one of my kids had grown so frustrated with a moment of correction that they had threatened some pretty serious self-harm. Something in my parenting approach was obviously not working. And through that experience, I learned…
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At a local meetup, a software engineering manager asked me how he would know when it was time to have a professional coach. My first answer wasn’t what he was expecting. “Nobody needs a coach.” I told him. And that’s true. But here’s what’s also true. Everyone can benefit from a coach. I even talked…
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Many technology specialists are tempted to stay silent when speaking up is better for their career and their company. Here are a few examples to watch for: ➡️ Before an in-person meeting starts. As uncomfortable as many of us are with small talk; it’s the foundation of interpersonal relationships. Even a simple, “How has your…
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A software engineer asked me recently how to prepare for a rumored layoff. How do you minimize your risk of being let go? How do you maximize your chance of finding a great fit for a new job if you are laid off? 1️⃣ Budget your energy. Starting now to work harder and longer on…
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Of course you don’t like delivering bad news. But whether it’s sharing bad personal or team results with your company, or sharing bad company results with your team, when you’re a leader, it’s an unpleasant task that often falls on your shoulders. Here are some ways to get some positive out of negative news: 💡…
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Ever feel like your work life and your family life compete with each other? Want a tip that will help you earn points with your family and your company at the same time? Here it is: Stop randomly checking your phone. And when you can, leave it in a different room. A study published in…